"I am under contract at Arsenal for another two years. What will happen then, we will see," Podolski said. "It would be too early to retire at 31, I want to play for a few more years.

"We'll see if it will be down there on that pitch. Maybe we will all meet again for a news conference in these rooms."

Following two years in the second tier, Cologne won promotion to the top flight this season.

Austrian coach Peter Stoeger is focused on ensuring the club become a Bundesliga regular again, and Cologne attacker Patrick Helmes does not believe the current squad needs Podolski.

"We have a good team, and a Podolski return is not an issue," former Germany international Helmes told Sport Bild.

"He returned in 2009 [after three years at Bayern], and in retrospect a lot of people have been critical of that. The FC is currently on a good way, and do not need a superior player type like Podolski."